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77-528: The Gascoyne has the lowest population of any region of Western Australia, with about 9,277 people. The majority of residents are non-Aboriginal people born in Australia (74%). Just over half live in Carnarvon (4,426) where Aboriginal residents account for 18% of the population. Other centres are Exmouth , Denham , Gascoyne Junction and Coral Bay . The Gascoyne has a moderate arid tropical, climate. It

154-485: A 244-metre (801 ft) office building for Anglo-Australian mining company BHP . Perth's metropolitan area extends along the coast to Two Rocks in the north and Singleton to the south, a distance of approximately 125 kilometres (80 mi). From the coast in the west to Mundaring in the east is a distance of approximately 50 kilometres (30 mi). The Perth metropolitan area covers 6,418 square kilometres (2,478 sq mi). The built-up urban area of Perth

231-472: A ban that lasted until 1954. In 1933, two-thirds of Western Australians voted in a referendum to secede from the Australian Federation . However, the state general election held at the same time as the referendum had voted out the incumbent "pro-independence" government, replacing it with a government that did not support the independence movement. Respecting the result of the referendum,

308-433: A convict-supported settlement at King George's Sound (later Albany ) on the south coast of Western Australia in 1826, responding to rumours of potential French annexation, Perth marked the first comprehensive European settlement in the western third of the continent of Australia in 1829. Officially designated as "Western Australia" in 1832, the colony retained the informal moniker "Swan River Colony" for many years, after

385-510: A diverse influx of people, including Italians , Greeks , Dutch , Germans , Turks , Croats , and Macedonians . The Italian influence in the Perth and Fremantle area has been substantial, evident in places like the "Cappuccino strip" in Fremantle featuring many Italian eateries and shops. In Fremantle, the traditional Italian blessing of the fleet festival is held every year at the start of

462-640: A founding state of Australia". It was the last of the Australian colonies to agree to join the Federation, and it did so only after the other colonies had offered several concessions, including the construction of a transcontinental railway line from Port Augusta in South Australia to Kalgoorlie to link Perth with the eastern states. In 1927, Indigenous people were prohibited from entering large swathes of Perth under penalty of imprisonment,

539-510: A number of sheep stations in the area. In 2021, 4 year old girl Cleo Smith was abducted and later found in Carnarvon . 22°S 115°E  /  22°S 115°E  / -22; 115 Carnarvon, Western Australia Carnarvon ( / k ər ˈ n ɑːr v ə n / kər- NAR -vən ) is a coastal town situated approximately 900 kilometres (560 mi) north of Perth , in Western Australia. It lies at

616-680: A pattern of development less in line with the British experience and more in line with North America. This was encouraged by the opening of the Narrows Bridge and the gradual closure of the Perth-Fremantle Tramways . The mining-pastoral boom of the 1960s only accelerated the pace of urban growth in Perth. In 1962, Perth received global media attention when city residents lit their house lights and streetlights as American astronaut John Glenn passed overhead while orbiting

693-447: A population of more than 100,000 is Adelaide , over 2,100 km (1,305 mi) away. Perth is geographically closer to both East Timor (2,800 km or 1,700 mi), and Jakarta , Indonesia (3,000 km or 1,900 mi), than to Sydney (3,300 km or 2,100 mi). Perth is Australia's fourth-most-populous city, having overtaken Adelaide in 1984. In June 2023 there was an estimated resident population of 2,309,338 in

770-450: A substantial number of Parsees who emigrated from Bombay  – Perth being the closest Australian city to India – in 2021 those with Indian ancestry accounted for 3.5% of Perth's population Perth is also home to the largest population of Anglo-Burmese in the world; many settled here following the independence of Burma in 1948 with immigration taking off after 1962. The city is now the cultural hub for Anglo-Burmese worldwide. There

847-481: Is 1,722 square kilometres (665 sq mi), the same as Wuhan or Salt Lake City and slightly smaller than London , making Perth the 67th largest urban area in the world. Perth is also the 50th least densely populated out of the 990 urban areas in the world with a population above 500,000. The metropolitan region is defined by the Planning and Development Act 2005 to include 30 local government areas , with

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924-524: Is 8.8 °C (47.8 °F) on 26 June 1956. It occasionally gets cold enough for frost to form. While snow has never been recorded in the Perth CBD, light snowfalls have been reported in outer suburbs of Perth in the Perth Hills around Kalamunda , Roleystone and Mundaring . The most recent snowfall was in 1968. The rainfall pattern has changed in Perth and southwest Western Australia since

1001-460: Is also a substantial Anglo-Indian population in Perth, who also settled in the city following the independence of India. At the 2021 census, 2% of Perth's population identified as being Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander . At the 2021 census, 74% of inhabitants spoke only English at home, with the next most common languages being Mandarin (2.3%), Italian (1.1%), Vietnamese (1.0%), Punjabi (0.9%) and Cantonese (0.9%). 41.8% of

1078-677: Is covered in scrub, primarily spinifex and mulga , with very little tree cover. Horticulture is the major industry of the Gascoyne region. Bananas, tomatoes, grapefruit, mangoes, table grapes and a range of vegetable products are grown along the Gascoyne River . Climatic advantages enable the growers to meet out-of-season demand both locally and in export markets. Fishing is also a major industry with prawn, scallop, crab and wet line fishing operations based in Carnarvon and Exmouth. In

1155-630: Is extremely sunny, having 211.0 clear days annually. Weather Atlas (sun hours) Perth Now Perth Perth ( Nyungar : Boorloo ) is the capital city of Western Australia . It is the fourth most populous city in Australia , with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth as of 2023 . It is part of the South West Land Division of Western Australia, with most of Perth's metropolitan area on

1232-507: Is generally warm all year round, with mean maximum daily temperatures ranging from 22 °C (72 °F) in July to 35 °C (95 °F) in January. The region receives about 320 days of sunshine per year. Annual rainfall is low and variable, averaging about 200 mm (8 in), most of which occurs as a result of cyclonic activity. Because of the semi-arid climate, most of the Gascoyne

1309-704: Is on generally flat, rolling land, largely due to the high amount of sandy soils and deep bedrock . The Perth metropolitan area has two major river systems, one made up of the Swan and Canning Rivers, and one of the Serpentine and Murray Rivers, which discharge into the Peel Inlet at Mandurah . The Perth-Gingin Shrublands and Woodlands and Banksia Woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain straddle

1386-660: Is within the traditional territory of the Mooro , a Noongar clan, led by Yellagonga at the time of the British settlement. The Mooro was one of several Noongar clans based around the Swan River, known collectively as the Whadjuk . The Whadjuk themselves were one of a larger group of fourteen tribes that formed the south-west socio-linguistic block known as the Noongar (meaning 'the people' in their language ), also sometimes called

1463-425: The 2021 census , Carnarvon had a population of 4,879. The Inggarda people are the traditional owners of the region around Carnarvon. Before European settlement the place now called Carnarvon, located at the mouth of the Gascoyne River , was known as Kuwinywardu which means "neck of water". Indigenous Australians associating with the Carnarvon area typically associate as being Yamatji , traditionally speaking

1540-822: The Australian Bureau of Statistics ' Perth (Major Statistical Division). The metropolitan extent of Perth can be defined in other ways – the Australian Bureau of Statistics Greater Capital City Statistical Area, or Greater Perth in short, consists of that area, plus the City of Mandurah and the Pinjarra Level 2 Statistical Area of the Shire of Murray , while the Regional Development Commissions Act 1993 includes

1617-612: The Australian Institute of Architects , and Colorbond . St Georges Terrace is the area's prominent street, with a large amount of office space in the CBD. Hay Street and Murray Street have most of the retail and entertainment facilities. The city's tallest building is Central Park , the twelfth tallest building in Australia . The CBD until 2012 was the centre of a mining-induced boom, with several commercial and residential projects being built, including Brookfield Place ,

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1694-594: The British House of Commons , Sir George Murray . Murray's association with the city was included in Stirling's proclamation of the colony, read in Fremantle on 18 June 1829, which concluded with the statement, "Given under my hand and Seal at Perth this 18th Day of June 1829. James Stirling Lieutenant Governor". The only contemporary information on the source of the name comes from Charles Fremantle 's diary entry for 12 August 1829, which records that they "named

1771-737: The Perth Mint . The city is served by Fremantle Harbour and Perth Airport . It was a naval base for the Allies during World War II and today, the Royal Australian Navy 's Fleet Base West is located on Garden Island . All five of Western Australia's universities are based in Perth. The name of the city is taken from Perth, Scotland in honour of the Secretary of State for War and the Colonies , and Member for Perthshire in

1848-458: The Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale in the Peel region . The largest river flowing through Perth is the Swan River, named for the native black swans by Willem de Vlamingh , captain of a Dutch expedition and namer of WA's Rottnest Island , who discovered the birds while exploring the area in 1697. This water body is also known as Derbarl Yerrigan . The city centre and most of the suburbs are on

1925-787: The Swan Coastal Plain between the Indian Ocean and the Darling Scarp . The city has expanded outward from the original British settlements on the Swan River , upon which its central business district and port of Fremantle are situated. Perth was founded by Captain James Stirling in 1829 as the administrative centre of the Swan River Colony . The city is situated on the traditional lands of

2002-497: The Wajarri language . The town was founded in 1883, initially as a port and supply centre for the surrounding region, and is the administrative centre for the Shire of Carnarvon . The town site was officially gazetted on 4 June 1891, named after Henry Herbert, 4th Earl of Carnarvon , a past Secretary of State for the Colonies . The carnarvon Jetty was built in the late 1890s and had reached its maximum length in 1904. In 2021, it

2079-904: The Western Australian Government and the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council negotiated the South West Native Title Settlement. This settlement, including the Whadjuk Indigenous Land Use Agreement over the Perth region, was finalised by the Federal Court on 1 December 2021. As part of this agreement, the Noongar (Koorah, Nitja, Boordahwan) (Past, Present, Future) Recognition Act was passed in 2016, officially recognising

2156-547: The Whadjuk Noongar people, where Aboriginal Australians have lived for at least 45,000 years. Perth was named after the city of Perth in Scotland . Perth was proclaimed as a city by Queen Victoria in 1856, although the City of Perth currently governs only a small area around the central business district. Substantial population growth occurred during the late 19th-century Western Australian gold rushes , and

2233-523: The schooner Monkey , while searching for the wreck of the barque Mercury . Shark Bay became the site of Australia 's first pearling industry when production of mother-of-pearl began in January 1850. In 1839, George Grey explored the area and named the Gascoyne River after Captain John Gascoyne RN, son of Bamber Gascoyne , a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty. Captain Gascoyne

2310-548: The 1920s. Successive state governments, beginning with the Willcock Labor Government (1936–1945), determined to change this. Planning for post-war economic development was initially driven by Russell Dumas , who as Director of Public Works (1941–1953) drew up plans for Western Australia's major post-war public-works projects, including the raising of the Mundaring and Wellington dams, the development of

2387-656: The Bibbulmun. On 19 September 2006, the Federal Court of Australia ruled in the case of Bennell v State of Western Australia [2006] FCA 1243 that Noongar native title persisted over Perth metropolitan area. An appeal was subsequently filed, and in 2008, the Full Court of the Federal Court upheld parts of the appeal by the Western Australian and Commonwealth governments. Following this appeal,

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2464-633: The Earth on Friendship 7 . This led to its being nicknamed the "City of Light". The city repeated the act as Glenn passed overhead on the Space Shuttle in 1998. Perth's development and relative prosperity, especially since the mid-1960s, has resulted from its role as the main service centre for the state's resource industries, which extract gold, iron ore, nickel, alumina, diamonds, mineral sands, coal, oil, and natural gas. Whilst most mineral and petroleum production takes place elsewhere in

2541-441: The Gascoyne's land area was covered by pastoral leases . Before being settled by Europeans, the Gascoyne had been home to Indigenous Australians for thousands of years. The first known European to land in the region was Dirk Hartog in 1616; other early visitors include Willem Jansz , William Dampier , Nicolas Baudin , and Phillip King . In September 1834 the presence of pearl shell and guano were noted by Thomas Hunt of

2618-502: The Greater Perth area, representing an increase of approximately 3.6% from the 2022 estimate of 2,228,020, the highest growth rate of Australia's capital cities. At the 2021 census, the most commonly nominated ancestries were: Perth's population is notable for the high proportion of British- and Irish-born residents. At the 2021 Census, 169,938 England-born Perth residents were counted, ahead of even Sydney (151,614), despite

2695-518: The Noongar people and the Europeans arose due to these events. Agricultural development on the land restricted the traditional hunter-gatherer practices of the native Whadjuk Noongar, compelling them to camp in designated areas, including swamps and lakes north of the European settlement. Third Swamp , known to them as Boodjamooling , remained a primary campsite for the remaining Noongar people in

2772-473: The Noongar people as the traditional owners of the south-west region of Western Australia. On 10 January 1697, Dutch Captain Willem de Vlamingh conducted the first documented exploration by a European of the present-day Perth region. His crew initially explored the area on foot, leading them to what is now central Perth. Continuing, they travelled up the Swan River in search of native inhabitants. They named

2849-475: The Noongar people escalated due to conflicting land-value systems and increased land use as the colony expanded. These confrontations resulted in multiple events, including the murder of settlers (such as Thomas Peel 's servant Hugh Nesbitt ), the execution without trial of Whadjuk elder Midgegooroo , the killing of his son Yagan in 1833, and the Pinjarra massacre in 1834. The strained relations between

2926-410: The Perth area for at least 48,000 years; according to Noongar tradition, they have occupied the area since "time immemorial". Noongar country encompasses the southwest corner of Western Australia, with particular significance attached to the wetlands on the Swan Coastal Plain , both spiritually (featuring in local mythology ) and as a source of food. The current central business district location

3003-400: The Perth region, also accommodating travellers, itinerants, and homeless individuals. During the gold rush in the 1890s, miners on their way to the goldfields joined this community. In 1850, at a time when penal transportation to Australia's eastern colonies had ceased, Western Australia was opened to convicts at the request of farming and business people due to a shortage of labour. Over

3080-557: The Sea Catholic School , which was built in 1906, Carnarvon Community College (formerly Carnarvon Primary School, East Carnarvon Primary School, and Carnarvon Senior High School), Carnarvon School of the Air and Carnarvon Christian School. Carnarvon has a warm arid climate ( BWh ). Average yearly rainfall is 226 millimetres (8.90 in) with the rainiest months (and the most reliable rainfall) being between May and July as

3157-453: The area's major watercourse. On 4 June 1829, newly arriving British colonists had their first view of the mainland. Captain James Stirling, aboard Parmelia , noted that the site was "as beautiful as anything of this kind I had ever witnessed". On 12 August that year, Helen Dance, wife of the captain of the second ship, Sulphur , felled a tree to commemorate the town's founding. From 1831 onward, confrontations between British settlers and

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3234-466: The city has continued to expand, particularly after World War II due to a high net migration rate . Post-war immigrants were predominantly from the British Isles and Southern Europe, while more recent arrivals see a growing population of Asian descent. During the late 20th and early 21st centuries, a series of mining booms in various regions of Western Australia propelled Perth into the role of

3311-541: The city's population. These are supported by the Australian Eurasian Association of Western Australia, which also serves a community of Portuguese-Malacca Eurasian or Kristang immigrants. Middle Eastern immigrants have a presence in Perth. They come from a variety of countries, including Saudi Arabia , Syria , Iran , Iraq , Israel , Lebanon , The United Arab Emirates , Oman , Yemen , and Afghanistan . The Indian community includes

3388-789: The fishing season. In Northbridge every December is the San Nicola (Saint Nicholas) Festival, which involves a pageant followed by a concert, predominantly in Italian. Suburbs surrounding the Fremantle area, such as Spearwood and Hamilton Hill , also contain high concentrations of Italians, Croatians, and Portuguese. Perth has also been home to a small Jewish community since 1829  – numbering 6,331 in 2021 – who have emigrated primarily from Eastern Europe and more recently from South Africa. A more recent wave of arrivals includes White South Africans . South Africans overtook those born in Italy as

3465-468: The form of short-lived thunderstorms, weak cold fronts and on occasions decaying tropical cyclones from Western Australia's northwest, which can bring heavy rain. Temperatures above 35 °C (95 °F) occur, on average, 26 days per year and rise above 40 °C (104 °F) on 5 days per year. The highest temperature recorded in Perth was 46.2 °C (115.2 °F) on 23 February 1991, although Perth Airport recorded 46.7 °C (116.1 °F) on

3542-523: The foundations of the historical site remain. The site is adjacent to the OTC Satellite Earth Station Carnarvon . On 20 May 1988, the bulk carrier Korean Star ran aground in bad weather near Cape Cuvier, within the port limits of Carnarvon. Around 600 tonnes (590 long tons; 660 short tons) of fuel oil were spilled into the ocean. Damage was limited to 10 km (6 mi) of remote beaches and coastline. The ship

3619-529: The fourth-largest foreign group in 2001. By 2016, there were 35,262 South Africans residing in Perth. Many Afrikaners and Anglo-Africans emigrated to Perth during the 1980s and 1990s, with the phrase "packing for Perth" becoming associated with South Africans who choose to emigrate abroad, sometimes regardless of the destination. As a result, the city has been described as "the Australian capital of South Africans in exile". The reason for Perth's popularity among white South Africans has often been attributed to

3696-471: The jetty; however, due to unsafe conditions the jetty was closed to the public. In 2021 it was destroyed by Cyclone Seroja. From 1964 to 1965, 12 sounding rockets were launched from Carnarvon to a maximum altitude of 120 km (75 mi). During the 1960s, NASA set up a tracking station nearby to support the Gemini and Apollo space programs. The tracking station was closed in the mid-1970s. Only

3773-476: The late 19th century, Western Australia experienced a mining boom. Perth became a key hub for supplying the goldfields, and the newfound prosperity helped finance the construction of important public buildings, roads, and railways. Perth's population grew from approximately 8,500 in 1881 to 61,000 in 1901. After a referendum in 1900, Western Australia joined the Federation of Australia in 1901, and "became

3850-446: The latter having well over twice the population. The ethnic make-up of Perth changed in the second part of the 20th century when significant numbers of continental European immigrants arrived in the city. Prior to this, Perth's population had been almost completely Anglo-Celtic in ethnic origin. As Fremantle was the first landfall in Australia for many migrant ships coming from Europe in the 1950s and 1960s, Perth started to experience

3927-602: The location, the vast amount of land, and the slightly warmer climate compared to other large Australian cities – Perth has a Mediterranean climate reminiscent of Cape Town . Since the end of the White Australia policy in 1973, Asia has become an increasingly significant source of migrants, with communities from Vietnam , Malaysia , Indonesia , Thailand , Singapore , Hong Kong , Mainland China , and India all now well-established. There were 112,293 persons of Chinese descent in Perth in 2016 – 5.3% of

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4004-620: The metropolitan area. Perth receives moderate, though highly seasonal, winter-based rainfall. Summers are generally hot, sunny and dry, lasting from December to March, with February generally the hottest month. Winters are relatively mild and wet, giving Perth a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csa ). Perth has an average of 8.8 hours of sunshine per day, which equates to around 3,200 hours of sunshine and 138.7 clear days annually, making it Australia's sunniest capital city. Summers are typically hot and dry but not completely devoid of rain, with sporadic rainfall in

4081-485: The mid-1970s. A significant reduction in winter rainfall has been observed with a greater number of extreme rainfall events in the summer, such as the slow-moving storms on 8 February 1992 that brought 120.6 millimetres (4.75 in) of rain, heavy rainfall associated with a tropical low on 10 February 2017, which brought 114.4 millimetres (4.50 in) of rain, and the remnants of ex-Tropical Cyclone Joyce on 15 January 2018 with 96.2 millimetres (3.79 in). Perth

4158-553: The mining sector, salt and gypsum are mined at Lake MacLeod , north of Carnarvon. Tourism is an important industry, due to the warm dry climate and the long coastline, which includes the Ningaloo Reef and the Shark Bay World Heritage Site . The pastoral industry was historically important but is no longer a major contributor to the economy. It represents the region's main land use: in 1994 84% of

4235-497: The mouth of the Gascoyne River on the Indian Ocean . The popular Shark Bay world heritage area lies to the south of the town and the Ningaloo Reef and the popular tourist town of Exmouth lie to the north. Mungullah Aboriginal Community was formerly in the town however it has moved east of the town. Inland, Carnarvon has strong links with the town of Gascoyne Junction and the Burringurrah Community . At

4312-513: The name Byerbrup for "the highland stretching along from Mount Eliza through the centre of the town of Perth". In 1947, Ludwig Glauert posited that Lyon may have misunderstood his sources and that "boorloo" or "belo" (now transcribed as "bilya") is simply the Noongar word for "river". Another source has interpreted Boorloo to mean "big swamp", describing the chain of lakes where the central business district and Northbridge are situated. Archaeological evidence attests to human habitation in

4389-512: The new Perth Airport, and the development of a new industrial zone centred on Kwinana. The advent of the McLarty Liberal Government (1947–1953) saw the emergence of something of a consensus on the need for continuing economic development. Economic growth was fuelled by large-scale public works, the post-war immigration program, and the success that various state governments had in attracting substantial foreign investment into

4466-517: The new government nonetheless petitioned the Imperial Parliament at Westminster. The House of Commons established a select committee to consider the issue but after 18 months of negotiations and lobbying, finally refused to consider the matter, declaring that it could not legally grant secession. Perth entered the post-war period with a population of approximately 280,000 and an economy that had not experienced sustained growth since

4543-457: The next eighteen years, 9,721 convicts arrived in Western Australia aboard 43 ships , outnumbering the approximately 7,300 free settlers. The designation of Perth as a city was formally announced by Queen Victoria in 1856. However, despite this recognition, Perth remained a tranquil town. A description from 1870 by a Melbourne journalist depicted it as: a quiet little town of some 3000 inhabitants spread out in straggling allotments down to

4620-416: The north to Singleton in the south, and 45 kilometres (28 mi) from the west coast to Sawyers Valley in the east. Beyond the central business district, predominant urban centres within the metropolitan area include Armadale , Fremantle , Joondalup , Midland , and Rockingham . Most of those were originally established as separate settlements and retained a distinct identity after being subsumed into

4697-613: The northern edges of winter cold fronts brush the region. Occasional tropical cyclones affect Carnarvon during the summer months bringing heavy rain and strong winds. Apart from this erratic source of rainfall summers are normally dry. Temperatures range from an average maximum of 33 °C (91 °F) in February to 22 °C (72 °F) in July. Average minimums are 23 °C (73 °F) and 11 °C (52 °F) respectively. On 18 February 2024, Carnarvon recorded its highest ever temperature of 49.9 °C (121.8 °F). The town

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4774-487: The outer extent being the City of Wanneroo and the City of Swan to the north, the Shire of Mundaring , City of Kalamunda and the City of Armadale to the east, the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale to the southeast and the City of Rockingham to the southwest, and including Rottnest Island and Garden Island off the west coast. This extent correlates with the Metropolitan Region Scheme , and

4851-503: The region, interspersed with clear and sunny days where minimum temperatures tend to drop below 5 °C (41 °F). The lowest temperature recorded in Perth was −0.7 °C (30.7 °F) on 17 June 2006. The lowest temperature within the Perth metropolitan area was −3.4 °C (25.9 °F) on the same day at Jandakot Airport , although temperatures at or below zero are rare occurrences. The lowest maximum temperature recorded in Perth

4928-464: The regional headquarters for significant mining operations . Ranked as one of the world's most liveable cities , Perth was classified by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network as a Beta global city in 2020. As of 2021, Perth is divided into 30 local government areas , comprising over 350 suburbs . The metropolitan contours span 115 kilometres (71 mi) from Two Rocks in

5005-487: The river Swarte Swaene-Revier , a reference to the black swans prevalent in the region. After Vlamingh's observations, other Europeans conducted further voyages of exploration in the period between 1697 and 1829. However, as with Vlamingh's assessments, they judged the area inhospitable and unsuitable for the agriculture necessary to sustain a European-style settlement. Despite the Colony of New South Wales establishing

5082-590: The same day. On most summer afternoons a sea breeze , known locally as the Fremantle Doctor , blows from the southwest, providing relief from the hot northeasterly winds. Temperatures often fall below 30 °C (86 °F) a few hours after the arrival of the wind change. In the summer, the 3   pm dewpoint averages at around 12 °C (54 °F). Winters are mild and wet, with most of Perth's annual rainfall between May and September. Winters see significant rainfall as frontal systems move across

5159-423: The sandy and relatively flat Swan Coastal Plain , which lies between the Darling Scarp and the Indian Ocean . The soils of this area are quite infertile. Much of colonial Perth was built on the Perth Wetlands , a series of freshwater wetlands running from Herdsman Lake in the west through to Claisebrook Cove in the east. To the east, the city is bordered by a low escarpment called the Darling Scarp. Perth

5236-406: The state, beginning with the construction of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Refinery at Kwinana in 1951–52. The result of this economic activity was the rapid growth of the population of Perth and a marked change in its urban design. Commencing in the 1950s, Perth began to expand along an extensive highway network laid out in the Stephenson-Hepburn Report , which noted that Perth was beginning to resemble

5313-426: The state, the non-base services provide most of the employment and income to the people of Perth. Perth experienced a period of recovery in 1990. In July 1994, the state government separated the city's CBD from its suburban districts, creating the City of Perth and three other local government areas. The central business district of Perth is bounded by the Swan River to the south and east, with Kings Park on

5390-424: The town Perth according to the wishes of Sir George Murray". Since 2019, the Noongar name Boorloo has been recognised as denoting the central business district , the local government area , or the capital city in general. The name Boorloo was initially recorded by Robert Menli Lyon as Boorlo in 1833, which was interpreted as "Perth, properly Point Fraser" (a location in East Perth ). He also gave

5467-453: The water's edge, intermingled with gardens and shrubberies and half rural in its aspect ... The main streets are macadamised, but the outlying ones and most of the footpaths retain their native state from the loose sand — the all pervading element of Western Australia — productive of intense glare or much dust in the summer and dissolving into slush during the rainy season. With the discovery of gold at Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie in

5544-482: The western end and the railway reserve as the northern border. A state and federally funded project named Perth City Link sank a section of the railway line to allow easy pedestrian access between Northbridge and the CBD. The Perth Arena is an entertainment and sporting arena in the city link area that has received several architectural awards from institutions such as the Design Institute of Australia ,

5621-573: The wider metropolitan area. Mandurah , Western Australia's second-largest city, forms a conurbation with Perth along the coastline. Despite this, it is generally regarded as an independent city. Perth features several important public buildings, as well as cultural and heritage sites . The city has various notable government buildings, including the Parliament House , Government House , the Supreme Court Buildings and

5698-782: Was a committee member of the London-based Western Australian Missionary Society and a member of the London Association for the Protection of the Interests of the Colony . In 1858 Francis Gregory explored the region and subsequently publicized it as highly suitable to pastoralism . Settlement began in the 1860s, and the town of Carnarvon was gazetted in 1883. By 1880 the area was home to approximately 20,000 sheep on

5775-535: Was also hit by a severe thunderstorm on 22 March 2010, which brought 40.2 mm (1.58 in) of rain, and large hail and caused significant damage in the metropolitan area. The average sea temperature ranges from 18.9 °C (66.0 °F) in October to 23.4 °C (74.1 °F) in March. With more than two million residents, Perth is one of the most isolated major cities in the world. The nearest city with

5852-534: Was destroyed by Cyclone Seroja . Carnarvon has had three tramways. It was 2 miles 5 chains (3.3 km) long. Due to the heavy loads of wool being carried on what was a very light railway, it was decided to convert the tramway to 3 feet 6 inches (1,070 mm) gauge in 1908–09. This tramway was worked with a steam locomotive. The tramway ceased operation in December 1965. The Carnarvon Light Railway Association operated trains along restored tracks on

5929-514: Was not salvaged and left grounded; however, very little of the wreck remains to be seen. Main economic activities of the Gascoyne region include: Radio Australia had a shortwave relay station (built during the 1970s) that used to relay programming to Europe, South Asia and Southeast Asia. There are five schools in the town; one Catholic, three Western Australia Department of Education schools and one independent. These are St Mary's Star of

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